Don't Fear the Reaper
by theirongiant6
Summary: (Discontinued) Ruby Rose is an adorable, excitable, and somewhat clingy girl that, after a heroic deed, receives a strange request from the headmaster of Beacon himself. With a troubled past and an intense, quite literal hunger for negativity, Ruby Rose will hunt not only Grimm, but other monsters like herself that hide in plain sight.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's notes here.  
**

 **This is your one and only warning. Comedic and cute moments will be a major presence here, but there will be gore, violence, and bloodshed. This will not always be an easy read.**

 **That being said, please enjoy.**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 1_**

* * *

Summer sobs, curled up in the corner of her bedroom with her white hood wrapped tightly around her. Her suspicions were finally confirmed, and the wrenching pain in her chest forced her to gasp for air and tilt her head back, tears freely flowing down her face.

She could never have a child to call her own.

It had been her own fault, her own stupidity all those years ago that got her injured in a way that even aura could not completely fix. She wails, unsure how she'll tell Taiyang, unsure how she will handle, her only child a reminder of her love's past and her own team.

She'd do anything for a child of her own.

* * *

"I hope that you realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly, young lady. You put yourself and others in great danger."

"They started it!"

Goodwitch, the stern blonde pacing across from the table Ruby's sat at, continues without bothering to notice Ruby's response. "If it were up to me, you'd be sent home with a pat on the back..." Ruby smiles at that. She did good! "…and a slap on the wrist."

Ruby squeaks as Goodwitch slams the table with her riding crop. Okay, maybe she didn't do _that_ good.

"But… there is someone here who would like to meet you."

For a moment, Ruby's stomach grumbles. The feelings inside of Goodwitch had come back, if only slightly what they had been the last time they had met.

Fear.

Goodwitch sidesteps and allows a man in green with silver hair to step forward, holding a mug and **_OMIGOSH COOKIES!_**

"Ruby Rose…" The man states with hesitation, setting the plate of cookies down in front of the small girl and squinting at her. "You have silver eyes."

Ruby, halfway through eating a cookie already, stops and looks up to the man, quickly nodding her head. She's pretty sure her uncommon eye color always tended to be the first thing people noticed about her, even if red eyes like her uncle and sister always looked way cooler in her humble opinion.

The man stands back up straight, gesturing to a video of her fight against Torchwick. "Where did you learn to do this?"

"Um, Signal Academy!"

"They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?"

"W-well, one teacher in particular."

"I see… It's just that I've only seen one other scythe-wielder of that skill before. A dusty old crow... Tell me, what is a… an adorable girl such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?"

Ruby, deciding to stop shoveling cookies into her mouth for a moment, wipes her face and looks up at him with her wide, silver eyes. "I want to be a Huntress."

"You want to slay monsters?"

"I want to slay _Grimm._ I only have two more years of training left at Signal, and then I'm going to apply to Beacon! Ya see, my sister's starting there this year, and she's trying to become a Huntress, and I'm trying to become a Huntress 'cause I wanna help people. My parents always taught us to help others, so I thought, Hey, I might as well make a career out of it, heheh! I mean the police are alright, but Huntsmen and Huntresses are just so much more romantic and exciting and cool and really, _gosh_ , you know?!"

The man studies her closely for a moment, having noticed her distinction. "Do you know who I am?"

Ruby nods quickly, trying to hide her excitement. "You're Professor Ozpin, the headmaster at Beacon."

He smiles, though it's a slightly false one. "Hello."

"Nice to meet you!"

"You want to come to my school?"

"More than anything," Ruby replies with a firm nod, eyes gleaming.

Ozpin looks to Goodwitch, then back to Ruby, both of them with a somewhat confused expression, though the headmaster hid it well.

"Are you aware what it means to have silver eyes, Miss Rose?" Ozpin asks, tilting forward slightly.

Ruby tilts her head, very softly nibbling at a cookie in her hands. "Uhm… Nope? I just figured it was super rare."

"It means that we are aware of what you are," Ozpin utters grimly as Goodwitch moves to stand in front of the one and only door. Ruby knows there are more people beyond it, as well. She doesn't care, however, wide eyes locking with Ozpin's cautious gaze.

"You do…?" She asks, barely above a whisper, her entire body trembling.

"We do," Ozpin confirms, the grip on his cane tightening.

"Ohhh…" Ruby mutters with huge, innocent, childlike eyes. "Then can you please tell me?!"

Ozpin unconsciously takes a step back. His calm demeanor is quick to recover, but that was obviously the last response he had expected. "I'm sorry?"

"W-well, I mean, um, what do _you_ mean when you say that?"

Ozpin looks to Goodwitch, who shakes her head in exasperation. He looks back, taking a sip of his mug.

"How many people are standing outside of this door, Miss Rose?"

"Um… Five," she answers, apparently right at the wave of apprehension that she feels from Goodwitch.

"That would be correct," Ozpin explains with a nod. "But how could you know that?"

"Um, well…" Ruby nervously nibbles at a cookie, not answering for a few moments as she gets lost in the social anxiety and yummy sweets. "I can just, sorta, feel them? It's weird and that's why I was hoping you'd know why! Right?!"

Ozpin nods, sighing very softly and stepping closer to Ruby, likely feeling just slightly less cautious. "I will not pry into your past. I have not done so with the rest of my students, and you are no exception despite the… circumstances."

"W-wait, I'm your student?!" Ruby asks, jumping out of her seat in excitement. Goodwitch draws her weapon, but Ozpin remains unfazed.

"That depends, Miss Rose, on my next question," he calmly states, sipping from his mug. "How old are you truly?"

"Fifteen! W-wait, is that too young? I can still go to Signal! Oh, but my sister is going to Beacon this year…"

"You were born _only_ fifteen years ago, Miss Rose?" Ozpin looks to the floor in deep thought, then almost too quickly does he look back up. "Your mother was Summer Rose. You two have incredibly similar looks, other than your eyes."

Ruby blushes, awkwardly shuffling in place and rubbing the back of her head. _Was._ "Heh, thank you, sir. I got everything from her, I guess."

"I… believe I have the answer as to why, but it will take time. Time we do not have, at the moment. As for you, Miss Rose…"

Ozpin smiles, just slightly. Ruby starts taking larger bites of the cookies as the feelings of deviousness emanating from the headmaster reach her.

"I cannot welcome you to Beacon Academy."

Ruby can feel her heart shattering and her eyes start to water, but she nods anyway. She can last two more years, that was the plan from the start anyway…

"…However, Miss Rose, I have something else I can offer you."

Ruby looks back up at Ozpin with wide, confused eyes, ones which Ozpin himself does not meet the gaze of.

"Miss Rose, if I may… I seem to have had the fortune of several… unique individuals like yourself attempting to enter Beacon."

Ruby tilts her head, voice still slightly shaky from the somewhat odd news. "Who…?"

"You will meet them in time, if you accept my offer. I want you to join their ranks, and to fight more than just Grimm, Miss Rose."

"What about Signal? And my sister…?"

"I do not believe either of those will be issues, given that you are far above the skill level of someone your age, and Miss Xiao Long has been given my offer as well."

"Y-Yang too?"

Ozpin nods. "She refused, I assume because of the overwhelming paperwork in working under a headmaster, but perhaps she will reconsider if you were to accept."

"P-p-p-paperwork?"

"That was your sister's reaction, yes. Not to worry, of course, as it is but a small part of what you will do for us."

Ruby stares at Ozpin deeply, a near minute of silence between them before Ruby awkwardly shuffles. "Can I sleep on it? Heh."

"You may, but if you do, it will be too late for Miss Xiao Long to reconsider."

"O-oh. And… if I refuse?"

"You will return to Signal, but…" Ozpin sighs, taking a sip of his mug. "I will have to have you supervised until you enter Beacon."

"W-wha? Why?"

Ozpin's gaze suddenly hardens, as does Goodwitch's, which shouldn't have been possible. "I believe you know why."

Ruby trembles and wrings her hands. "I'll, um, accept. Only if Yang comes! Where, um, are we going exactly, though?"

"Beacon Academy."

"But… not as students?"

"That would be wasteful for… a delightful girl such as yourself, Miss Rose."

* * *

Yang blinks, sitting down on her bed as Ruby sits beside her, the two of them in their comfy little cabin, though Taiyang is out teaching.

"He what?" Yang finally asks, after minutes of confused apprehension.

"He asked me too, Yang."

"And you accepted?!"

Ruby gulps, squeezing her hands together. "Only if you'll come too."

Yang lets out a long breath in both relief and pure despondence. "But Rubyyyyyyyy! I don't wanna work under the headmaster! That'll be super boring!"

"Yang… He knows."

"Then all the more reason not to accept!"

"N-no, I mean…" Ruby says, scooting away from Yang on the bed. "He said he knows what I am."

Yang instantly swivels to look at Ruby, her eyes wide and glowing red. "And?"

"And he said it'd be hard to explain without time…"

"R-Ruby, that's just a tactic to get you to accept!"

"He knew stuff I knew, and said it had to do with my eyes, I think…?"

Yang sits back, frowning deeply before pulling Ruby into a bone-crushing hug. "Fine. But if it's boring, you're doing my paperwork!"

"So in other words, you want to fail?" Ruby mutters, face pressed into Yang's chest, though somewhat comfortably.

Yang snorts and ruffles Ruby's hair. "If it'll get me out of paperwork, Rubes, hell yeah."

"Swear jar," Ruby manages to mumble as she tries to fix her hair.

"Hell isn't a swear! Dad said so!"

"Should I ask him?"

"Rubes, you won't even say it when you ask, you'll just be like 'dad, is H-E-double-hockey-sticks a swear word?'"

"I don't even know what hockey is," she grumbles with a cute pout.

Yang smiles brightly and ruffles Ruby's hair again, but Ruby fights back, quickly tackling Yang onto her back and messing with her hair as well, a death wish for anyone other than herself. The two giggling sisters, teenagers, wrestling and messing with each other's hair like little kids again… A nice feeling, for the both of them.

A feeling quickly diminished when Yang's scroll goes off, and she jumps out of bed to answer it.

"Yaaaaaang!"

"Rubes, it's a friend, if I accept Ozpin's offer I might not see 'em as much!"

"Okayyyy…." Ruby says, rolling out of Yang's bed and dashing out of the room, nearly slamming into a wall on the way out into the living room. She tended to do that on occasion, but she's been getting better! Sort of.

She flops onto the couch with a giggle, finding the remote and turning on the holographic television, HGTV, a wonderful invention that is honestly _so_ five years ago, but dad is a bit too tight on lien to buy an HD3DHGVRTV, no way to afford one on a teacher's salary.

 _"…robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities. If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department. Back to you, Lisa."_

Ruby frowns as Lisa Lavender, a rather two-dimensional woman, begins to explain the ever increasingly violent Faunus Rights Movement, and the White Fang's involvement. Is that what Ozpin meant when he said she wouldn't just be fighting Grimm? Would she be, like, a secret agent?! That's even cooler than a huntress! Well, okay, not really, but it's super cool anyway, and she'd probably also get to fight Grimm too! And she'd get special training and special lessons and her sister would be there and a bunch of other people too and they've GOTTA be cool since Ozpin made a big deal out of it and if he of all people makes a big deal out of somethingthenobviouslythatthingissuperduperimportantbutthenagainshedoesn-

Ruby's thoughts are interrupted by Yang jumping on top of her, enveloping her in a bear hug of epic proportions. "Rubes! Did you miss me?! I was gone forever!"

 _If this is the end… Tell dad… His cookies were the bestest…_

"Oh, right! Sorry!"

Yang releases Ruby from her iron grip, letting her gasp for air and cough. Thank all that is holy for Aura, because if she didn't have that unlocked, she maaaay have died.

Maybe.

Yeah.

"W-why so tight?" Ruby finally manages to squeak out. Yang nervously chuckles and shifts a little.

"It was actually Qrow, and I told him about the whole group thing, and he seemed like he was kinda mad at first, but then he said he'd be one of the ones to teach us personally!"

Ruby gasps, silver eyes huge. "Uncle Qrow?!"

"Do you know anyone else named Qrow?"

"Well, I can't tell if you meant with a C or not."

"Qan't you tell?"

"Nope… Qan everyone else?"

"Nah."

"Ah."

* * *

Ozpin sits at his desk, listening to his office loudly tick around him.

He had known Summer Rose. A former student of considerable power, along with her team. They had been his previous attempt.

He could not let it happen again. Two shapeshifters, twins, on a single team, proved too much. A too direct, too callous approach that would need incredible luck to ever surface again. Perhaps it was not the shapeshifters that caused the real problems, though.

Perhaps the little Rose had thorns of her own.

Qrow had never known fully of the supernatural world, only bits and pieces. Even now, when he knows so much more, he could not tell his own honorary niece from any other human, a fatal flaw to be sure. A flaw that would need to be remedied, in time.

Ozpin sighs, taking a sip from his mug and leaning back. Far too much had happened far too quickly. An Arc, despite lack of any real talent, had sent in a submission. Two orphans, one with a stunning ability to remove teammates and himself from the eyes of Grimm and others, while the other held not only immunity to an entire element, but gained power from it.

 _The_ Pyrrha Nikos, as well… A prime subject.

Yang Xiao Long, with her curious parentage and combat strength, alongside an intensely powerful semblance and a familial connection to the previous attempt. Weiss Schnee, heiress to the most powerful company on the face of Remnant had decided to come to Beacon rather than Atlas, for whatever reason, and she had inherited the hereditary semblance that made the Schnees so powerful in the first place. Blake Belladonna, no stranger to criminal activity and with so much more room to grow with a team to help her.

Too much good luck at once, and it had finally proved too much.

Ozpin closes his eyes, the wide, silver eyes of Ruby Rose forever burned into his memory. A nightmare that would not soon leave him. Perhaps it is for the best to get her under control and supervision now, rather than lose countless valuable pieces in an attempt to subdue her by force?

The Queen has many pawns, but soon, so shall he.

* * *

A blonde-haired girl, no older than twelve, takes a step back, the putrid smell and horrid sight in front of her threatening to make her wretch, if not for the pure shock in her system.

"Y-Yang…?"

The blonde girl lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding, falling against the wall. Her ten-year-old sister, adorable and loving, stood in the dark room, hunched over and shivering with her glowing silver eyes shining a pale light over the gruesome scene.

She's surrounded by half-eaten corpses.

 _"Help me…"_


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's notes here!  
**

 **I so very much appreciate the kind reviews I've gotten, I hope I can live up to your expectations! Keep in mind that things are not going to have simple answers, and I like to reveal things slowly, so there isn't a simple answer that I can give for exactly what Ruby is just yet. She's not a vampire, though, just to dispel those thoughts.**

 **Anyway I've run out of things to say here, so, uh, enjoy!**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 2_**

* * *

Taiyang sighs, pulling the white cloak around him tighter as the frigid wind makes his teeth chatter. His pale face is stained with tears shed long ago, and he looks down at the second of his lost loves.

 _Summer Rose_

 _Thus Kindly I Scatter_

Taiyang pulls the hood up and over his face to hide the scowl. "Qrow is watching after the kids."

…

"You could have told me, Summer. You know I wouldn't have been mad. I knew that there was something wrong but then… then Ruby came into our lives and you seemed so much better…"

…

Taiyang gulps, hunching over slightly as the cold air washes over him once more. "It was always about hunting, I realize that now, Summer. You felt indebted to me after what Raven did, but it wasn't your responsibility."

…

"Damnit, Summer, why did you have to stay a huntress, huh? W-why was it always them, not us?"

…

"What did you do to Ruby, Summer? Why… Why is she…"

…

"No… No… **_What_** is she, Summer? _What did you do!?_ "

* * *

"Uncle Qrow!"

Ruby jumps into her honorary uncle's arms, immediately snuggling into his chest as he laughs and wraps his arms around her, smirking.

"Hey, kiddo," he says with a small grin, rubbing Ruby's back carefully. "Enjoy the trip?"

Ruby kicks her legs softly, giggling happily and pulling herself up a bit. "Yep! I can't believe Ozpin got me my own room at Beacon!"

"Yeah, ol' Oz is really makin' a big deal out of all this… Still won't tell me why."

"Well it's 'cause you taught me so well that I'd be better than even first years here I think! That's why Yang gets to come too!"

Qrow nods, pulling Ruby up into his arms, which she gratefully accepts by nuzzling further into him. He starts walking through the somewhat empty halls of Beacon, the sun high in the sky and most students out and about now. Ruby quiets down dramatically while in Qrow's hold, something he's come to appreciate in time. She wasn't always a cuddler, but strangely, it was when she grew into a young woman that she became so openly affectionate with her family.

He smiles a bit brighter at the thought, and at Ruby's obvious comfort in the arms of another. Nothing would ever get in between him and his honorary niece.

"Hey Qroooowww?"

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"Do you think we could train like we used to at Signal?"

"'Course. Why wouldn't we?"

"W-well, I didn't want you to think I was too old for it or something!"

Qrow arrives at Ruby's private room, smirking. "I thought you drank milk?"

"I do! But I'll never be too grown up to train with you!"

Qrow chuckles deeply, shuffling over to sit on Ruby's large bed, the centerpiece of Ruby's new room. Ruby smiles and nestles herself further into him, and he ruffles her hair in contemplation. "Well, kiddo, this is one helluva room you've got here. I hope you don't mind if I hang around sometimes after classes, yeah?"

Ruby gasps, hopping up and out of Qrow's grasp, skipping over to her piles of luggage and digging through them. She finds what she was looking for, apparently, and waddles back over to Qrow. "Swear jar!"

Qrow rubs his face, letting out an overdramatic sigh and going through the motions, dropping a lien into the comically large jar filled halfway. "I don't suppose this is how you intend to buy your food?"

"Beacon has lunches and stuff," Ruby replies with a big smile, setting the jar onto a desk and working her way back into Qrow's arms. "It's mainly for strawberries."

Qrow chuckles quietly, gravelly voice unusually soft as it always tends to be around Ruby. When she was a kid, or rather, a smaller kid, she could never sit still. The same usually applied here, but when she grew into a young woman, she became a lot more subdued when you gave her a hug. Qrow wasn't much of a hugger in general, but the comfortable and loving mood Ruby seemed to give off during snuggling was infectious.

She's always reminded him of Summer, after all.

"Suddenly realized without Tai around, you're not going to pace yourself with strawberries, huh?"

"Nope!" Ruby replies simply, putting emphasis on the 'p.'

"Cookies, then?"

"Nope!"

"Cupcakes?"

"Nope!"

Qrow snickers alongside Ruby, patting her on the head. "Just brush your teeth, your smile's too cute for some sweets to ruin, kid."

"'Kay!" Ruby says, with the utmost resolve in her childish voice. He didn't doubt her for a second, either, considering how Ruby… _is_. Determined is one way to put it.

"Well, as congratulations, wanna go see that new monster movie?" Qrow asks with a wide, knowing grin.

"Oh, oh! I'll get the cargo pants!"

Ruby dashes into her personal bathroom, squealing.

Qrow sighs quietly to himself, opening his scroll and looking at the newest message from an unknown number.

 _[Q. Office. Midnight. O.]_

Not one for subtlety…

* * *

Jaune stumbles out of the ship, face pale and legs weak. He barely makes it to the nearest trash can before throwing up his lunch. It tastes a lot better going in than coming out, if he's being honest with himself. How was he not only accepted into Beacon, but put into a special program?

Were his false transcripts _too good_? Oh Dust, he's going to die out there!

Only eight people in his entire class! If mom could see him now… she'd probably kill him for running, revive him and then kill him again for forging transcripts to freaking BEACON ACADEMY!

Jaune gulps, finally looking up to said academy and basking in its glory. Officially, the school year begins for everyone in initiation, which is a few days from now, but Jaune doesn't actually have to do it. He's thankful for that, yes, but now he has no safety net. If he failed, then he was never cut out for it to begin with, and he could go home. Now…?

Now he's been automatically accepted and assumed to be one of the eight best students in all of Beacon Academy.

And what about the other seven? They'd see right through him _! Oh Dust, oh Dust_ , just be confident, right? That can't be too hard! Confidence is always key! It was key when he convinced a criminal to forge his transcripts, and that worked! TOO WELL! If anything, he needs to tone _down_ his confidence!

Jaune's thoughts and subsequent hyperventilation is brought to a screeching halt when a tall redhead dressed in bronze walks up to him, frowning. Considering he's hunched over a trash can and panting, the question she poses him is… relevant. "Are you alright?"

Jaune stands up, patting himself off and awkwardly laughing. "Y-yep! Are you?" W-wait, why did he ask that? Everything is crumbling apart!

The redhead smiles softly. "I am alright. Are you an upperclassman? I am new here and was wondering if I could have directions…"

Jaune's eyes go wide and he clears his throat. He had been about to ask the same of her. "Oh, no, I'm actually new here too! I, uh, am part of this group… thing… for Professor Ozpin so I arrived early!"

The redhead blinks, silent for a moment, before brightly smiling. "I am part of the same group!"

"Oh, wow!" Jaune says, internally screaming. "Well, I'm Jaune, Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue – ladies love it! Heh. Uh, what's your name?"

Jaune continues internally screeching as the redhead blushes softly and bows her head. "W-well, Jaune, it is nice to meet you. I am Pyrrha Nikos."

Jaune smiles a bit when Pyrrha ignores his awful attempts at confidence. Pyrrha silently smiles back, her hands clasped together, as if she's pleased about something. Did the confidence work?! Jaune panics, blurting out a rather simple response. "It's nice to meet you, Pyrrha! I-I don't suppose you have a map?"

Pyrrha giggles, a hand over her mouth. "I'm afraid not, Jaune. Would you like to look for our rooms together, then?"

Jaune grins ear to ear. "Sure!"

Hey, maybe this wouldn't be so bad! Sure, he was in over his head, but the most beautiful girl he's ever seen is being super nice to him, and he gets to be in the same class with her! A special class under the headmaster himself! It's like the comic books!

Except there's no way she'd like him back, of course, that's just a fact of life, but it's still a nice feeling to have met a friend!

Right?

* * *

Ruby holds her stomach, face pale and eyes dull. Sick, tired, and hungry, all only a few days before the start of her huntress career, sort of. Just her luck that her cargo pants had managed to be _too_ big and she gave herself a tummy ache. Not only that, but while she was full on physical food, her… _other_ hunger had grown. She lays in her bed, having to have been carried in by her uncle and told to rest. She would, but… she needs Yang. _NOW._ Her scroll sitting across the room, Ruby groans and tries to roll out of bed, landing with a loud squeak and hissing to herself.

She scrambles to her feet, the dark room being bathed in pale light, even though all the blinds are closed. It only takes a moment to realize the light is coming from her eyes, and she hurries to her scroll, calling Yang with shaking fingers as her heart pounds in her chest. All the stress of coming to Beacon, and Ruby had forgotten the most important thing to do.

Yang answers the video call tiredly, rubbing her eyes and squinting at the video. "Ruby, wha…?"

Yang's eyes widen at the screen, obviously noticing the glow in Ruby's silver eyes. "O-oh, shoot, I forgot! I'll be right over sis! Sorry!"

Ruby nods, slowly lowering herself to the floor and shutting her eyes to wait for her big sister, who arrives only moments later, using her scroll to open the door and quickly closing it behind her, rushing to Ruby's side.

"Crap, crap, I'm sorry, I forgot! I-it's a good thing we're neighbors, h-huh sis?"

Ruby smiles slightly and nods, moving to bury herself in Yang's unusually gentle hold. "It's 'kay, Yang… I forgot too…"

Yang lets out a long breath, shutting her eyes and holding Ruby just a tiny bit tighter. In her pajamas, Ruby pulls up Yang's orange shirt just a bit. Yang freezes, clenching her teeth a bit in preparation and petting Ruby's hair.

"I'm sorry, Yang…"

"Never be sorry, Rubes. I love ya."

"Love you too…"

Yang grabs the desk and braces herself against it as Ruby's teeth sink into her.

* * *

In a world of Grimm, Wizards, Maidens, Vampires, Shapeshifters, Fairies, and more, Qrow still managed to feel a pang of fear as Ozpin drops a massive book onto his desk, motioning to it calmly.

"I don't have to… read that, do I?"

"Qrow, I do not think now is the time for jokes," Glynda scolds, crossing her arms.

Qrow scoffs and takes a swig of his flask, looking to the hologram of Ironwood, who stands with frustrated poise. Such a wuss, the old tin man. "Guessing all of you read this, then?"

Each of them nods in turn, but Ozpin himself slightly frowns, something Qrow wasn't exactly expecting. "Qrow, I do not think it wise to skim over this information. During your stay in team STRQ, you learned a great deal about the hidden world, but not all that exists. We could not teach of the rarities to be encountered before the team disbanded. If you are to teach alongside Glynda and I, you will need to familiarize yourself with the text."

Qrow leans back unprofessionally, groaning. "Oz, look, if my team didn't get to it in _years_ , why do I gotta read all this _now_?"

Ozpin closes his eyes, and the room goes silent for a few moments. Ironwood, in all his subtlety, clears his throat loudly. Ozpin sighs and glances at the hologram, before taking a sip from his mug and looking back to the huntsman before him. "Both yourself and Taiyang would benefit from some of the knowledge within."

"Like what?"

Ozpin clears his throat. "I cannot remember the page number, and if I were to tell you directly, you would ask far too many questions."

Qrow smirks. "Yeah. Right, Oz, I very much believe you. Is this all the meeting was for? I doubt Jimmy would be here if all you were planning was to scold me like a kid."

"There is more, Qrow, I simply wanted to make myself clear in my request before we begin."

"Yeah yeah, I got it, read the book so I can teach."

Ironwood crosses his arms tighter. "I would appreciate if you would begin this meeting sooner rather than later, Ozpin."

Qrow's witty retort is swiftly silenced by Glynda's glare, which even he cannot resist.

Ozpin nods and takes a long drink from his infinite mug. "There will be eight students in this attempt, instead of four. They have been arranged into teams, but will be without partners. That is not exactly what I wish to discuss, however. Within this group of eight is Weiss Schnee and Pyrrha Nikos."

When the names illicit no response, Ozpin continues. "While the rest are powerful, some more so than even Ms. Nikos, these two contain all the necessary qualities shown to be… candidates."

Qrow's eyes widen slightly, and Ironwood visibly tenses. It is Ironwood that speaks first. "Ms. Schnee, as a candidate? That is ridiculous, her family name-"

"Means nothing in the long run," Glynda interrupts with a scowl. "I understand what Ozpin is saying. From what I've read about the two of them, they're both susceptible to authority and unwaveringly loyal."

Qrow scoffs and takes another swig from his flask. "A Schnee, loyal? Who woulda guessed."

Ironwood sighs, rubbing his temples. "Winter would be upset at her sister's disappearance, Ozpin. Either she would need to be let into an increasingly large circle, or the two would never be able to see each other again."

"Until the war is over, James," Ozpin replies, closing his eyes. "If we can gain as much of an advantage as we can, there will be no need to separate any family for long."

Qrow sighs, looking down at the massive book in front of him, resigning himself to his fate.

* * *

The white haired man gulps, on his hands and knees as he struggles to stand. Silver orbs, glowing brightly, yet carrying no light, lock with his own blue eyes, freezing him in place.

"I-I've carried out my part of the deal, it's time for you to deliver," he stutters, gritting his teeth and sweating profusely at the shadows that surround him, that press him down and threaten to smother him. The only reply he receives is a hand of black smoke grasping his chin, pulling him forcefully to his feet. He stumbles backwards, away from the creature that merely stares at him with disinterest, a silhouette of darkness visible even in the pitch dark void they find themselves in.

"I deserve w-what you give me, dammit! I d-did what you asked!"

The creature of darkness hovers closer, a ghostly cheshire grin unnaturally wide appearing beneath the silver orbs.

 ** _"Very well."_**

The man lets out a long, shaky breath and quickly nods. The fear in his heart only seems to increase the glow in the creature's eyes, which begin to leave a trail of smoke in its wake with every small movement.

Until suddenly, everything is light once more. The man falls to his knees, bathed in moonlight as he pants and grasps his chest. It will be worth it. Everything he has dreamed will come true, he will be the richest man in the world for what he's done.

Jacques stands, calming himself down and allowing himself to smile. It would all be worth it in the end.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's notes.  
**

 **Small chapter here, getting back into writing this. The chapter was partially finished before the hiatus, and I felt bad deleting all of the work, so I decided to finish up what I could, publish it, and let you know I'm not dead! So... Think of this as a teaser for post-hiatus stuff!**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 3_**

 _"_ _I-It's okay, it's alright, it… It's not your fault…"_

A blonde girl, no older than twelve, shudders violently and grasps her younger sister tightly to her chest. She dry heaves, softly pulling her sister away from the gruesome scene and out of the room.

 _"_ _It's not… your fault Ruby… It's not…"_

Yang grits her teeth and carries her sister up the stairs and out of the basement, collapsing at the last step and doing all she can to breathe in the air no longer tainted with the scent of death. She crawls a few feet before her vision starts to fade into black.

It had been an argument. Her sister had been strangely moody and Yang always had a temper. Ruby ran from home, and it took a few hours for the panic to set in and Yang to come chasing after. She'd heard about kidnappings on the news, but when she tracked her sister's scroll to find it in a house she'd never seen before, she could feel panic turn to horror.

Based on the scene she discovered, the kidnappers had made a terrible mistake.

* * *

"Are you really that much of a suicidal _idiot_ , Ozpin?"

The Headmaster of Beacon sighs and shuts his eyes, tilting back in his seat as Glynda leans against his desk. He tries with all of his might to ignore the piercing glare, and after approximately ten seconds of tense silence, he finally gives up with a small sigh, locking eyes with a very irritated Glynda Goodwitch.

"Glynda, we've been over this."

"No, Ozpin, we really haven't," she growls. "You've been surrounding yourself with James, Qrow, or others as a way to specifically avoid _this_ , Ozpin!"

Ozpin takes a long sip from his mug, not bothering to refute that point. "Then what would you have me do, Glynda? I can't go back on my word, now, can I?"

"You can and you will!"

"I can, but I will not. Miss Rose-"

"Don't call it that, Ozpin," Glynda warns, her glare threatening to kill him on the spot.

"Miss Rose is a child. I have looked into it, Glynda."

"Child or not, it is dangerous! It is weak, and it'll only get stronger with age, we should deal with it now before the Queen-"

"You and I both know Miss Rose would not turn to the Queen's side."

"No, we don't, Ozpin!" Glynda nearly shouts, standing up straight. "What makes you think that it has a heart of gold, Ozpin, hm? That it won't use the opportunity to slaughter seven of our potential guardians before they ever have a chance to fight back?"

Ozpin's gaze hardens. "I know its kind better than anyone, Glynda. Do not forget what I have told you."

Glynda quiets down immediately, eyes downcast, before Ozpin clearing his throat gets her attention. He sets his scroll down on the desk silently as a hologram appears, and a video begins to play.

Glynda watches with a mix of shock and horror as the silver-eyed brunette sits in Miss Xiao Long's lap, face buried in her half-sister's side. Glynda's eyes grow wider when Miss Xiao Long visibly stiffens in pain, yet continues to comfort her sister.

"Is she…?"

Ozpin closes his eyes.

As Miss Xiao Long's face begins to pale, the brunette pulls away, allowing the two professors to see the large, almost animalistic gash in her side. Miss Rose disappears, leaving floating roses in her wake, before reappearing shortly afterwards with bandages.

Ozpin pauses the video and takes back his scroll, looking up at Glynda quietly, a hardness in his eyes not often seen.

"It is my belief that Miss Rose does not wish to hurt people, Glynda. Miss Xiao Long, as you know, has a strikingly high tolerance for pain, an above average-sized aura, and a semblance designed to strengthen her as her aura diminishes."

"Her sister knows," Glynda whispers, eyes filled with grief and fear.

"From what I have gathered, she does not know exactly what her sister is."

"Then why…? Why does she let Miss Rose do that to her…?"

Ozpin rubs his temples quietly. "When Summer passed, her husband became a workaholic recluse. It is likely that Miss Xiao Long… is more of a parental figure than her actual father."

Glynda frowns, limply falling into a seat and clasping her hands together in thought. "What will we tell the other students? The Arc, most importantly?"

"The two will be leaders of their respective teams," Ozpin states quietly, looking down at his mug. "Miss Schnee and Miss Nikos must be separate, as well. Miss Xiao Long should stay with Miss Rose, and Miss Valkyrie has shown an attachment to her childhood friend that should not be tampered with. I believe that Miss Rose's team should be told, but Mister Arc's not."

Glynda shakes her head in frustration. "Once again, Ozpin, how?"

Ozpin takes a sip from his mug and sighs, holding his head in his hands. "We will figure that out once Qrow has finished his… reading assignment."

"That's not an answer and you know it, Ozpin. What will we tell them? Will they believe it? You didn't tell your first little project's subjects until they found it out for themselves."

"And that was a mistake," Ozpin finishes, closing his eyes wearily. "We will… go slowly, with these children. We have time, after all… Though much less than I'd like."

Glynda sighs, rubbing her temple. "And Qrow? Taiyang? Do they know too, Ozpin?"

Ozpin sips from his mug, the steaming coffee doing little to heat his cold and numb face. Too long has he spent in this room, too long has he spent reading, researching… "Qrow doesn't know," He states plainly, running a hand through his silver hair and biting his cheek. "I doubt anyone in Miss Rose's family truly knows what she is… Though perhaps… one…"

Glynda expectantly raises an eyebrow, setting her hands on the headmaster's desk and narrowing her eyes.

Ozpin smiles lightly, chuckling. "I don't know for sure, Glynda, that's what I need to find out," he answers, despite Glynda not asking. Glynda stands up tall once more, shaking her head and biting her lip. "I'm sorry we didn't talk about this sooner, Glynda, but we need her, more than anything. To get her on our side now, to teach and guide her, to keep her from…"

"Her…"

* * *

A smile.

A small gesture.

A wave of the hand, a tilt of the head.

Back straight, chin up.

It has always been, and will always be, far more effective to make other people work and toil and labor for your own gain.

As the lowly, eager to please, keen and infatuated little bug approaches, She is ready and willing to give him a smile. To wordlessly show Her… appreciation, for his deeds. For all the work he's put in just to make Her happy.

Another reached maturity some years ago, somewhere out there on Remnant… To find it would be a boon, a tool to gain even more and in so much less time…

"Have you found anything for me, Tyrion…?" She asks, face blank and chin held high.

"N-not yet! Not yet, no, no… b-but-"

She raises Her hand, Her little germ stopping mid-sentence. "Your lack of progress is… disappointing," She explains with a gentle frown, nearly bringing the insect to tears on the spot. "I have something new for you. Cinder has done well, but she was not perfect in her… execution. Find Qrow Branwen, and bring him to me. _It_ can wait… for now…"

It cannot hide from Her.

Nothing can.


End file.
